The table of contents for sports psychology tips for swimmers and parents of swimmers from Craig Townsend.
Do you honestly believe, deep down, that you're worthy of being a winner? This question may not be as silly as it sounds! What you really think of yourself down at your deepest subconscious level will determine your results. If you don't honestly believe that you deserve the best results, something will always prevent you from fully realizing your potential.
Many people ask me "what's a really 'MAGIC' technique? What's the quickest, easiest and best technique to use in mental training?" - and this should probably be a difficult question to answer... but I have no hesitation in giving them this reply. Visualization.
One thing that you must learn to overcome along the journey to being a successful swimmer (and person) is the inevitable people who will criticize everything you do. One sure sign of success is when you begin receiving unwanted attention from those who do nothing but try and destroy your dreams. These people often parade around as 'experts', but most often, it is important to remember that these people are not usually qualified to judge anyone but themselves. Success always demands some kind of price or sacrifice, and unfortunately putting up with the 'knockers' while you're working your butt off at becoming a 'doer' is one of them.
Ian Thorpe was asked about his pre-Olympic preparation for the 2000 Games, and whether or not he would be doing anything different or unusual in his preparation. His response was that he would not change a thing - his approach for the Olympics would be the same as for any other meet.
Are you a perfectionist? This could be good, or it could be bad - it all depends on what type of perfectionist you are - a positive or a negative one. Many champion swimmers are perfectionists, never being 100% satisfied until they have achieved what they set out to do.
This is a story designed to inspire those who have been doing it tough, and are searching for some inspiration to keep them going, because everyone needs this at some time in their life. Twenty-four year old Australian Bill Kirby is not a household name around the world and yet he is a miraculous human being. His main goal in life was to make an Olympic team, but in 1996, in his preparations for the Olympic trials, he was battling with health problems which threatened to de-rail his dreams.
Pain is often be more of a mental barrier than a physical one. Some time ago I wrote about how it's possible (through the mind) to actually delay the feelings of pain at the end of a tough race or training set - or even make it disappear completely! This is possible because your mind has the capacity to release morphine into the bloodstream, a chemical which is one of the most powerful painkillers known on this planet, and a chemical which is used daily in hospitals for accident victims.
Do you feel a tremor of desperation go through your mind when a swimmer passes you in a race? Relax! You never have to feel this again. Believe it or not, even when you feel like you are about to die from fatigue and pain during a race, you still have the capacity to find power and energy that you do not even know you possess!
Do you enjoy training and swimming meets? I hope so. Because here is a fact of human psychology which many do not realize - humans can ONLY truly succeed at things they enjoy. Why? Because your very own subconscious mind's purpose (in every life situation) is to move you AWAY from pain, and TOWARDS pleasure!
Champion swimmers train every day and swim at meets because it is their OWN personal ambition. No one else's, just their own. Sure, it's also nice to win for other people, such as parents, coach or friends, but if these other people became the MAIN reason why they trained everyday, they simply would NOT succeed, it's as simple as that.
